The National Urban League offered testimony this week to the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Human Rights and urged a repeal of the Stand Your Ground laws. The Urban League testimony said that these laws "serve only to perpetuate an unequal system of justice with lethal consequences that disproportionately impacts communities of color – especially African-American males."
From the Urban League's Statement for the Record: "The tragic miscarriage of justice that occurred in the 2012 murder of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin and subsequent not guilty verdict in the trial of his killer, George Zimmerman, has sparked national outrage and raised awareness about state-enacted “Stand Your Ground” laws generated by the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC)’s “model” law and supported by the National Rifle Association (NRA). Immediately following Trayvon Martin’s murder and before George Zimmerman’s arrest, the President and CEO of the Central Florida Urban League, Allie Braswell, served as a leading voice in calling for Zimmerman’s arrest and called for a repeal of Florida’s Stand Your Ground law. Mr. Braswell subsequently testified on behalf of the Urban League and the Second Chance on Shoot First Campaign before the Florida Task Force on Citizen Safety and Protection on September 13, 2012, and as a result, forwarded his recommendations for reforming Florida’s SYG law in a letter to Florida Governor Rick Scott."